The Top Five Reasons to Eat Local This Season

I just completed a seminar on nutrition when I realized I had forgotten to sign up for my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share this year! With a slightly panicked tone, I emailed my farmer and got one of the last shares available.  What I didn’t think to realize is how few people know what a CSA program is and the benefits it offers to you and your families. 

With childhood obesity on the rise and bad food choices all around us, my challenge to you is to think about joining one of these amazing organizations and starting your summer out on the right foot.  There are numerous farms in the area that need your support and in turn provide amazing, farm fresh produce to your families.

CSA has become a more popular way for families to buy local, seasonal food directly from a local farmer.  The basics of the program usually begin with the farmer offering a certain number of “shares” to the public.  If you’re interested, you join as a member or shareholder of the farm, and in turn receive usually a weekly or biweekly allowance of local, organically grown seasonal produce throughout the growing season.  Sometimes farmers will also band together and offer other products in addition to produce such as eggs, breads or meat products. 

The benefits for you the consumer are:

• Eat ultra-fresh food, with all the flavor and vitamin benefits – the best ways to get nutrition into your body.
• Get exposed to new vegetables and new ways of cooking – I didn’t even know what Kohlrabi was before my first CSA experience and now I have over four different recipes for it!
• Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season- always an educational experience, and makes you and your family appreciate what you’re eating so much more.
• Kids typically favor food from "their" farm – even veggies they've never been known to eat
• Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food and learn more about how food is grown

Some benefits aren’t just for you but for the farmer as well:

• Get to spend time marketing the food early in the year, before their 16 hour days in the field begin
• Receive payment early in the season, which helps with the farm's cash flow
• Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow

Each farmer structures his or her program differently. Some will offer you a box of pre-determined produce box you simply pick up.  Others lay out the weeks vegetables and let you pick what you’d like and leave the rest for other members. 

There is also the market style where the produce is displayed and you can take “mix and match” style of what you want for the week.   If you think this is a good option for you, be sure to weigh the risks associated with this type of program.  There are risks, because vegetable growing is subject to a number of twists and turns and you are at the mercy of the growing season as to what ends up in your basket.  So be flexible, be willing to try new things and don’t get too upset one week when you only get one tomato.  

The take-home message is this: if the potential for "not getting your money's worth” makes you feel anxious, then shared risk may not be for you and you should shop at the farmers market. 

Overall most experiences are good ones, and I’ve tried two different ones in the area with great results, and I encourage you to try them too!  I’ve included names of some local CSA programs if you’re interested I suggest you check them out yourself and see if they’d be a good fit for you.  Eating healthy and being fit are just a few components of a healthy lifestyle.  

Guzikowski Farm     

Contact: Sandy Guzikowski

Phone: 215-295-0306             

Snipes Farm and Education Center  

Contact: Brad Berry

Phone: 215-295-1138, ext. 102

Torbert farms  

Contact: John Torbet

Phone: 267-394-3285

Honey Brook Organic Farm

Contact: Susan Barosko

Phone: 609-737-8899

Anchor Run Farm

Contact: Derek McGeehan and Dana Hunting 

Phone: 215-598-1519